Soldier Man and Badgermole Girl
by The Sweetest Venom
Summary: When a Fire Nation troop comes across the Bei Fong residence on their way to Ba Sing Se, Toph is orphaned. However, a certain soldier offers her the chance to travel with him if she'll agree to let him train her for war. Poppa Lu Ten and kiddo Toph!
1. Promises of Freedom

**.:Chapter One: Promise of Freedom:.**

I don't own Avatar or the characters. I claim the originality of this story... unless the creators of A:tLA decide to go back and play around with this idea? *eyebrow waggle* Nah, I'm kiddin'. They'd never use this and it probably won't remain original for long. Eh.  
As far as I know, there's only one other story involving Lu Ten and Toph, which is _The Slightest Mistake_ by Mersang, and that's about Toph killing Lu Ten. Still interesting, go look for it.  
The song in the [brackets] is "A Stranger" by A Perfect Circle. I figure it fit Lu Ten's first interaction with Toph well enough.

* * *

[[Cast the calming apple  
Up and over satellites,  
To draw out the timid wild one;  
To convince you it's alright.]]

For her to be as tiny as she was and to be merely five years old, the little girl had done a fantastic job of disabling the soldiers who came to try and slay her.

Lu Ten's troop had been on their way to Gaoling, taking over various Earth Kingdom towns and provinces as General Iroh (or as Lu Ten liked to call him, _Father_) took down Ba Sing Se. Destroying the residence of the Bei Fong family would be getting rid of a strong hold. Though it was only one family, the patriarch was paranoid beyond belief, as the many bodies of earthbenders around the estate confirmed.

He watched as soldier after soldier got close enough to either touch the earth shield she would create when she was scared or attempt to catch her on fire was swallowed up to their legs by earth. They were unused to the quiet confidence she had and panicked when she applied pressure. She broke the legs of one or two soldiers.

Finally, Lu Ten proposed an idea to his Captain. "Why don't we recruit her, sir? She doesn't seem upset over the deaths of her family and every now and then, she'll mimic the weapons we have." He suggested this because of his younger cousin, Azula. His uncle Ozai stated there was such a thing as a natural born warrior (Azula was definitely one) and this little earthbender seemed to be one.

The Captain almost retorted before thinking. They hadn't gotten instructions to take prisoners, but if they could have this girl even as just a time-buyer for whenever they came across difficult enemies in the future, that would help greatly. Using the earthbender's own element against them- _brilliant_! But he wasn't surprised, seeing how the idea came from the offspring of the great General Iroh. "See if she'll come with you. We'll need her to trust us before we use her."

[[And I listen for the whisper  
Of your sweet insanity,  
While I formulate denials  
Of your effect on me.]]

It was just before sunset when Lu Ten walked down to where the little girl was trapped in the middle of the garden. In one hand he had an apple and in the other he had a strip of roasted duck. If she was going to join the army, she had to get used to how they ate. He kept walking until he noted the minute movements of her finally becoming unnerved. He sat down there and took out a knife, cutting the apple in half. He threw part of it to her and she used the earth to catch it before confusedly grabbing it out of the nest of rock, sniffing it.

"You're very strong for your age," he noted while chewing the other half of the apple, encouraging her to eat by the way he fearlessly chomped. He waited for her to tentatively bite into the fruit and settle into wolfing it down before he spoke again. "You might even be stronger than any other earthbender I've faced yet." She didn't seem to be buttered up by his compliments.

After comfortable silence that lacked her munching, he tore the piece of meat in half and spoke to her. "I have some roasted duck with me. Would you like some?"

She turned toward him in her stained dress. For the first time, he realized she was blind. Her eyes were looking at him, but there was no hint of intellect in them. The pupil was fogged over. She got up, tentatively walking towards him. He held his hand out and she snatched 'her' half of the meat out and scrambled back to a safe distance, an earth wall forming as she returned to her secure area.

He shrugged, happy with the success. He at his own share before he stopped.

"Thank you," she said.

He waved a hand at her, dismissing her gratefulness until he remembered she was blind. "I couldn't let a child starve, especially such a gifted one."

She looked toward him, voice now eerie. "No, for freeing me." Lu Ten shivered a bit at the realization of what that meant. She didn't care about her parents at all. She probably wasn't happy they were dead, but she was certainly happy they weren't keeping her in the house any more.

He ventured to question her further. "Freeing you? What, did they lock you away?"

"Yes," she stated. The black haired child looked toward the golden eyed man and for a moment he swore she trapped him simply by her aura. "Mom and Dad put me away in the garden. They teased me," she hissed. "They put me with nature and I could feel the badgermoles, but when I went to meet them they put me further away from them!"

Lu Ten noted how the earth trembled when she raged. Powerful; and barely a child, more of a baby. He stood up, dusting himself off. "You want to travel, is that right?"

She hesitated before nodding. "Are you going to let me go?"

He almost shook his head. "Well, I had something else in mind." He walked closer to her and she stood, stance frighteningly correct. She could make the earth swallow him up, right then and there, if he messed up. He bent down on one knee. "Would you care to join me? We're traveling and one of my friends might know where you could find a badgermole cub."

The promise of a badgermole cub excited her. "Travel?" She rushed to his side, groping for his hand. He let her grab it only for her to release it as she was shocked with the warmth it held as he was shocked with how firm her hands were. "… what do I have to do?" She was smarter than she looked.

Lu Ten chuckled. "Well, if you like it with me, I might teach you how to fight."

The girl let a slight smile twitch onto her mouth. "Fight…? You mean, I can earthbend against other people?" She giggled ecstatically. Apparently, he had been right. She had a natural desire and power to fight. "Okay, okay! Let's go find the badgermole cub!" She rocked back and forth on her heals.

Lu Ten nodded and turned toward the rest of the troop. "By the way, my name is Lu Ten. What's yours?"

"Toph," she said, not bothering to put her last name on. She wasn't a Bei Fong. Bei Fongs lived inside walls and never ventured outside. She belonged to the world, was free as a bird, but crawled inside the earth like a baby inside its mother's womb.

[[You're a stranger.  
So, what do I care?  
You vanish today!  
-not the first time, I hear?  
All the lies…]]

The Captain was surprised when Lu Ten very calmly strolled into the tent where the high ranking officers sat. He saw the tiny figure trailing behind him, almost hiding. He roared with laughter. "Excellent job, Lu Ten!"

Lu Ten nodded before sitting in his seat. Toph simply raised the earth and faced away from the table, little stomach full. The men of the tent ate. Right before the war meeting happened, Lu Ten said he was going to take Toph to his tent to let her sleep.

She didn't go to sleep on his bed, preferring to sleep on a nest of soft, downy earth like a dog. Lu Ten returned to the meeting.

The Captain raised a goblet of spicy wine. "Tomorrow we head out to assist the troops at Ba Sing Se! General Iroh sends word that with the aid of our troop and the coming warmth of spring, we shall surely take Ba Sing Se!"

Roars of excitement circled the table. Lu Ten warmed with happiness. He'd get to see his father again soon. The meeting concluded with the Captain telling everyone what teams were under their watch and where to go to assist at Ba Sing Se.

Lu Ten returned to his tent and fells asleep happily, knowing that after two day's journey, he'd see his father again. The Captain had honored him by telling his division would be with him and Iroh, the brute force behind the sweepers that went to slay the Earth King.

Vaguely, he wondered what he should do with Toph.

[[What am I do to with all this silence?]]

The two days had been fairly grueling. Once they arrived to the outer camps, the men of the troops rested. Toph, who had helped out by removing many rock walls that would have otherwise hindered the komodo rhinos and tanks, was then rewarded with a letter from Lu Ten's friend named Kuzumi that she did in fact have a litter of badgermoles back in a Fire Nation village right along the eastern shore of the Earth Kingdom.

The next day, Lu Ten saw Iroh. They had a sensitive, warm moment before Lu Ten introduced him to Toph. Iroh, being incredibly insightful for such a military minded man, at once told Toph that she would join his troop and serve to break down the walls that guarded the city.

"It'll be like a game," he said, not knowing she was a natural warrior. He figured a child would be more comfortable squishing people if they figured it was just for fun.

Toph frowned. "No, it won't." She sniffed. "Games end. This is for keeps." She wanted to win.

Iroh couldn't bring himself to be upset with such an attitude. She certainly had the killer instinct of a firebender.

By the week's end, Ba Sing Se wore the insignia of the Fire Nation and Lu Ten claimed Toph as his daughter.

[[Shy away. Shy away, phantom!  
Run away! Terrified child…?  
Won't you move away,  
Fuckin' tornado?  
I'm better off without you  
Tearin' my will down…]]

* * *

You may be asking what's up with Iroh's non-pacifist personality. He's a hedonist, not a kind hearted soul. He cares only for his family's well being until Lu Ten dies, and as this fic makes obvious, Lu Ten isn't going to die.  
Next question before it's asked- Will the Fire Nation take over the world because Iroh took over Ba Sing Se and Aang now lacks his 'destined' teacher? Eh, probably, but this fic isn't about Aang being a hero, is it? It's about Lu Ten and Toph. CUDDLY WARM, FUCKED UP FAMILY TIME~


	2. Blood Lust

**Chapter Two: Blood Lust**

I don't own Avatar.  
The song is "You're Going Down" by Sick Puppies.

* * *

[[Define your meaning of war.  
To me? It's what we do when we're bored.  
I feel the heat comin' off of the blacktop,  
And it makes me want it more.  
Because I'm hyped up, outta control!  
If it's a fight, I'm ready to go!  
I wouldn't put money on the other guy,  
If you know what I already know.]]

Most of the army was staying in Ba Sing Se to reform the city-state into a second Fire Nation capital. A new governor would be moving there as soon as they crushed any left over rebellion. Lu Ten and Iroh, however, were returning to the real Fire Nation capital.

Iroh walked companionably by his son and 'granddaughter' as they headed back. Lu Ten's right arm had an ugly mar down the side, Iroh's wrist was sprained, and Toph's head had a gash in the front, but it could have been far worse. She saved them from being crushed under a huge pillar of stone that the Dai Li had tried to stop the invading forces with.

"Well, well," he joked. "I still can't believe I'm related to such a brilliant pair of soldiers." He reached down to pat the head of the little girl between them. "So, Toph, tell me, are you happy with your new pet?"

She giggled almost on cue as the badgermole licked her chin. "Of course!" She released the badgermole to walk. It had learned to submit to Toph after a particularly animalistic bonding experience.

Lu Ten stretched his good arm and pointed at the ship. Over the edge of the ship waved a young woman. He blushed, but waved back, speeding up talk to her sooner.

Toph, confused, looked over at Iroh. "What's up with Ten?" She called everyone else Mister or Madam, not yet used to Fire Nation terms. Both Lu Ten and Toph knew it was far too soon to disrespect her father's memory by calling him father.

Iroh chuckled. "Nothing, nothing," he said. "It's his girlfriend is all."

Toph snorted, too young to desire a lover and too filled with a lust for violence to care if she had a 'special someone'. Family, at the moment, was almost more than enough for her. "Eh."

Iroh, having raised a child, knew very well that he could mess with Toph about her dismissal of such emotions when she got older. For now, he was satisfied with the fact he had a great victory on his hands and remembering that Lu Ten would probably be procreating soon. For the moment, Toph was enough of a grandchild.

They boarded the ship and there began Toph's pacing and uneasiness. Metal was an unfamiliar element.

[[It's been a long time coming  
And the tables turned around.  
One of us is goin'-  
One of us is going down!  
I'm not runnin'; it's a little different now.  
Cause, one of us is goin'-  
One of us is goin' down!]]

During the day, Lu Ten and Iroh would go off with the adults, leaving Toph and her badgermole (she simply dubbed him Ba) to wander around the parts of the ship they were permitted in. The badgermole and its owner had trouble adjusting to the metal of the ship and spent most of the day knocking on things and trying to see. Finally, they adjusted their sense to where they could at least see on the ship. Toph hadn't heard of metalbending, otherwise she might have tried it.

Lu Ten wouldn't have been very happy with the damage she might have caused is she did bend the metal.

She was bored and antsy. The tiny mining village that they had departed from had been nothing short of irritating. She had fought with a few earthbenders who tried to 'rescue' her from the 'clutches' of the Fire Nation. Apparently, they were surprised that such a young child willingly worked under the 'evil' General Iroh. She didn't bother to tell them that he was sort of her grandfather now.

They were only half way to their first rest stop, Shu Jing, by the time two days had passed. All she had to do was play with Ba, eat, admire Grandpa Iroh's weaponry collection (she questioned the oddly smooth feeling knife's material), and remind the maids that she didn't enjoy being cleaned roughly.

On the third day, Lu Ten brought her into a room she hadn't previously been to.

"Today, Toph, we begin your training." His voice was serious and grim.

Toph tilted her head, slightly confused. "Training for what?"

"You won't always be on earth, you know." The ship proved his point. "I noticed that you seemed actually _helpless_ when we first arrived. I want you and…" He stared towards the badgermole cub, thumping his foot towards it so Toph would know who he was questioning.

"Ba," she supplied. The little cub let out a chirp to affirm this.

"Yes, you and Ba should learn how to use weapons. Well, the bagermole should learn to bite and use its claws."

Toph was floored. She, however, begrudgingly nodded. "… you'll teach me, though, right?" She'd only held chopsticks and twigs in her life. Swords and knifes had never been permitted around her and even after Lu Ten brought her along with him, she hadn't picked up a weapon.

He merely said "Yes" before reaching over to a shelf and pulling down a short pole and setting up a stuffed dummy. "Between lunch and dinner, I'd like it you came and practiced hitting this and see if you can make it dent. We'll get harder from there."

Toph nodded and was about to ask when lunch was before the announcement sounded. She clapped her hands and picked up Ba. She heard from a maid that today's lunch was centered around roasted duck. Lu Ten followed behind her, noting the difference between the trapped, scared little girl in pale, majestic Earth Kingdom clothes and his daughter who was a fierce little warrior-to-be, dressed in blacks and reds of the army.

[[Define your meaning of fun.  
To me? It's when we're getting' done.  
I feel the heat comin' off the blacktop.  
So, get for another one!  
Let's take a trip down memory lane.  
The words circulate in my brain.  
You can treat this like another "all I'm saying",  
But don't cry like a bitch when you feel the pain!]]

Lu Ten was tense at dinner. He had noticed Zhao, a man a few years, maybe ten at the most, older than him. He kept looking toward Toph, who sat at the table where the children of a few other nobles were. (Most of them were either impressed, frightened, or disgusted by her and were only on here with their other parent to greet the one returning from war.) It unnerved him. What was Zhao planning? He was a friend of his uncle's, so surely he wouldn't threaten a child who was close to the family of Fire Lord Sozin, but still- the man's bright hazel eyes creeping in on Toph was almost more than he could stand. Mostly, it was the smug grin that would occasionally wiggle onto his lips only for him to take a bite of duck.

Iroh started telling a story, though, so Lu Ten listened to his father's song-story. It was the history of Omashu, the tale of two lovers. The woman, Oma, reminded him vaguely of Toph. Powerful and uncontrollable; she listened because she wanted to listen. No one could force her; well, as long as she was on land, no one could.

Toph sat at the table, eating her roasted duck like a little lady.

"Um, uh… hi," the girl beside her finally said. She had avoided Toph for most of the time she had seen her. "My name's, uh, Rin." She was older than Toph by a few years, but the girl intimidated her all the same. "Your badgermole is cute. I have a koala sheep back home!" Talking about pets seemed to make her braver.

Toph wasn't warm. "My name's Toph. I'll, uh, take your word on Ba. What's a koala sheep?" She had never seen been around one in her life.

Rin blinked, trying to find the words to describe her cuddle, adorable lamb. "They're, um, really small." She didn't know Toph was blind, so she brought two fingers close together. "Smaller than your badgermole is now. Ju's wool is really soft right now, she's so young!" Rin smiled happily before going back to eating her meal.

Toph nodded, satisfied with the conversation. "Sounds nice." She ate a little bit before piping up again. "Hey, Rin, you want to be friends?"

Rin blushed and nodded. "Um, uh, yes!" She busied herself in her food and a companionable silence fell around the awkward little girls.

That is, until the boy who had been waiting to speak to Toph piped up. "My dad said that you're blind! Is that true?" The boy's name was Hiro. His father had told him stories of the little blind girl on the ship who was an earthbender. The girl was a monster. Hiro didn't believe a girl like that could exist. _Maybe_ a grown man might not miss his parents if they died, but he knew a little girl should cry if someone that close to her died.

A few of the adults looked over, judging Toph's reaction as to how she would fit in on the upper class Fire Nation's society.

The girl grinned, finishing off her roasted duck. She laughed. "Hm, yeah, I'm blind. I'll take it that you're stupid."

The boy let a frown slip on to his face, not used to being talked back to. His father was the ship's captain. His eyes narrowed. "Not as stupid as you, little girl!"

Toph stood as the boy did, both of their pulses racing. "What was that, huh?"

"You heard me, maggot!"

Lu Ten and the boy's father stood up, giving each other an uneasy look. They would settle it in the traditional style, Angi Kai, if it weren't for the fact they were children. Maybe a simple spar would do?

The boy's father spoke up first. "Hiro, sit down." Lu Ten ordered Toph to sit as well. She gave him a shocked look, mis-aimed it might have been, but sat down in a huff. Hiro's father looked at Lu Ten. "Tomorrow, before we land- my boy against your girl." As long as they landed, the man was confident, Hiro could beat Toph with even his weak fire bending skills.

Lu Ten nodded. "Very well. However, Toph is to be allowed a staff. I don't mind Hiro having one." They shook on it.

Rin nervously twiddle her thumbs.

[[It's hardly worth fighting for,  
But it's the petty little shit that I can't ignore.  
With my fist in your face, and your face on the floor-!  
It's been a been a long time comin',  
But you got the message now.  
'Cause I was never goin'…  
Yeah, you're the one that's goin' down!]]

Toph spent from after lunch until dinner practicing with her staff. Lu Ten barked orders to her, Iroh coming in occasionally to drop a hint or two. She wasn't amazing, but she was doing well enough for Lu Ten to start to drag it along the floor and have her try to hit it. They repeated this from dinner to bedtime and most of the day of landing.

Finally, the ship reached the dock and the two children went onto the deck. Most of the adults came to watch, amused by the prospect and the children sat on the side lines, knowing very well this was the child equivalent of an Angi Kai.

Toph wore shorts and an undershirt while Hiro wore only shorts. Between them stood the Captain's right hand as the Captain himself was not allowed on the floor they were battling on.

"Begin!"

Hiro had forgone the staff option, knowing it would only hinder his fire bending. He leaped at Toph, a short flame extending toward her. She felt the flames fan across her face and her eyes widened. As soon as the fire's heat left, though, she rushed at Hiro with her staff.

An intricate dance began. Toph was covered in little first degree burns and Hiro was covered in bruises. Both were too stubborn to lose. Hiro decided to trick Toph by making a stance that would have thrown a leg's flame at her. She rushed forward at the time that he would have been recovering from said stance, but Hiro was ready and punched her in her stomach.

Toph brought her staff behind Hiro's head and used it like a rope to pull him down with her when she fell. It turned into a fist fight.

Sadly, Toph lost. She was simply physically weaker than Hiro. She was tiny and a year younger than him. However, everyone was impressed with the efforts of both.

"Heh," Hiro said as he wobbled up. "You're not so bad, you know, for an Earth Kingdom maggot."

Toph took a deep breath. "Yeah, you're not so wimpy yourself, fancy feet." She grinned at him. "Let's try this again, on land."

Hiro let a laugh bellow out. "Haha, yeah right. You'd bury me!"

"Exactly!"

Lu Ten walked up behind Toph and picked her up. "You were great out there." He carried her to the docks and to a doctor. Iroh complimented her as well. The trio spent the afternoon crossing the island.

Much to Toph's chagrin, they had to get back on a boat to get to the Capital.

[[One of us is going down.]]

The ship ride over was uneventful, but Lu Ten had gotten the address of Rin's family and the ship number of Hiro's father so she could get and send letters to them.

When they reached the Gates of Azulon, Toph remarked on the smokey, pleasant smell and Lu Ten told her that was how home smelled. Iroh told her how excited he was to introduce her to the rest of the family.

"Your great-grandfather has been saying for while how he wanted to have the earthbenders work for him," he mused.

Toph let out a proud laugh. "Ha!" Picking up Ba as they entered the port. "Um… Ten mentioned cousins?"

Iroh nodded. "Yes, it's probably best you at least know your family's name." He walked down the ramp into the dock where tons of citizens were waving at the returning heroes. The trio waved, as did the other returning warriors. "Your great-grandfather's name is Azulon. His wife is named Ilah. Your grand-uncle is named Ozai and his wife is named Ursa. Your, um…" He looked over to Lu Ten. "What would they be to her, Zuko and Azula that is?"

Lu Ten shrugged as he burnt his palm mark onto a piece of tile. "Second cousins? I dunno."

Iroh concluded his information update. "They're about your age, actually." The rest of the way up to the palace was spent informing Toph or signing the tiles of fans. It turns out a number of Fire Nation girls saw Toph as a role model and several adults commended her for "seeing the way of the future".

[[I'm not runnin'; it's a little different now.  
'Cause, one of us is goin'-  
One of us is goin' down!]]

They were at the threshold of the palace stood the royal family. Pride was apparent on Azulon's face. He walked down a step as Iroh walked two steps at a time to his father. The General began to bow. The Fire Lord, feeling particularly proud of his eldest son, swept him up in a hug.

"My son, my son," he cried out. "Iroh, you have made me so proud!"

Lu Ten looked to the side and waited for the moment to subside. As it did, he took Toph's hand and she let Ba follow behind her.

Azulon looked skeptically at Lu Ten before bowing back to the boy. "You've done well, my child."

Lu Ten's chest puffed out. "Th-thank you!" He moved out of the way. He and Toph stood with the rest of the royal family as Azulon gave his speech.

"We are near completion! With the fall of Ba Sing Se, there are but two goals left! The defeat of the Northern Water Tribe," a small roar went out through the crowd, excited at the prospect ",and the Avatar!"

A vicious group yell went out and a fire flooded over the heads of the crowd.

On the faces of half the family, a wicked smile curved on their faces. On the other half, contentment smoothed over them. The rest of the speech was nothing short of a mannerly riot. The Fire Nation longed for power and the royal family wouldn't deny them their superiority.

[[One of us is goin' down.]]


	3. TITLE HERE

**Chapter Three: Family of Cannibal Dragons**  
I don't own Avatar.  
"Grudge" by Tool.I came up with a language name for the world of Avatar. Mignonen and the planet collectively is called Mignon. The meaning seemed to fit.  
Aand, haha. I got really hungry making this chapter. Making up dishes is fun!  
A lot of characters in the story are confused about Toph's REAL age since her documents got burnt up mostly. So, while 'I' say she's six, the others range from thinking she's three to seven.

* * *

[[Wear your grudge like a crown of negativity.  
Calculate what we will or will not tolerate.  
Desperate to control all and everything.  
Unable to forgive your scarlet letterman.]]

The family had initially been uncomfortable with the idea that Toph was now a member of the royal family. However, when Lu Ten explained that she expressed loyalty to him and showed them how quickly Azula and her had gotten on (which concerned Ursa, but excited Ozai), the whole palace began to accept her as the exotic child.

"Toph!" Azula yelled, dragging Zuko by his sleeve into the east garden. Following her were two young girls. "Battle me!" Though Azula was eight and considered a prodigy, her favorite sparing partner was Toph.

The six-year-old looked up from the hole by the turtle duck pond that Ba was digging and grinned. Grandpa Iroh didn't like Azula much, but Toph adored her. She was like the big sister she never had. She wouldn't ever go easy on her, but she wouldn't the maids talk crap about her either. "Yes!"

The two girls squared off and Zuko gulped nervously. Mai contently sat beside him. Ty Lee bounced between the two warrior children, raising a hand. "Begin!" A triple back flip and she was out of the way.

Toph quickly made the ground Azula's enemy, but she had to duck and roll to avoid Azula's fiery rage. Grins marked their faces and their dangerous dance began. Slowly they grew closer, passion burning in their eyes and the winning blow was about to be struck when, suddenly, a messenger stepped into the garden.

Azula's manicured nails dropped to her sides and Toph's rock fell like shot birds. Everyone aside from Toph stared at him as he fumbled awkwardly into the airs of children whose contentment could decide his fate should he upset them too much.

"For Duchess Toph!" He held the letter out, waiting for her to come and take it. She walked over and took the letter. He left quickly.

Toph walked back over to the group, head down as if she was looking at the letter. Azula was sitting down next to Ty Lee by then.

Mai was beginning to grow impatient. "Well? Who is it from?"

Toph shrugged. "I can't see it." Everyone aside from Azula nodded, remembering she was in fact blind despite her immense skill. Azula never forgot such important facts-besides, she made it a point never to lose to someone with a handicap. (Azula 'loved' Toph as much as she could 'love' anyone, but to her, the girl was simply the strongest broken toy.)

Zuko stood up and walked over to Toph. He took the letter from her. "It's from Hiro, son of-"

"Hiro!" Toph yelled, excited. "We fought, once!" She nodded her head towards Azula. "He's not nearly as strong as Azula-no other child is, aside form me, of course!" A disagreeable grunt was heard from Azula at this, but she laughed at the challenge. "What's he want, huh?"

Zuko was surprised to see such excitement from Toph outside of battle. "What, is he your boyfriend or something?"

"… you guys put the gender in front of that?" Toph nodded and straightened herself before looking dead at Zuko. "Poppa Ten has a girlfriend… I thought they were closer than that, oh well."

Ty Lee fell over laughing at Toph's mistake.

"Um, er, that's not… uh, anyway. He says, um, 'My father recently ferried a whole crew of soldiers back home. Most of them weren't going to make it. How are things inside the palace? I miss you. None of the soldiers here will spar with me. Do you know if you're going to with your father to war anytime soon?' And, he signed his name with something mushy." He handed the letter back to Toph.

"Spar again, huh? I dunno when I'll be able to see him, though…"

Azula perked up, almost smirking. "Well, summer's soon coming to an end, you know." She let a predatory look of pleasure leak into her eyes as the confused Toph walked over, knowing her older cousin would explain. Azula took on a more dignified pose. "The Royal Fire Academy for Girls will more than likely take you in." Something crossed between a purr and a growl came out when Toph's posture told Azula she was tuning in. There was a reason they got along so well. "You'll have trouble at first, being an earthbender, but don't worry-cousin Azula will make sure you knock their silly little heads off."

They got along because Toph was happy to be manipulated as long as she got to fight something and came to her family at the end of the day. Azula was happy to have her own personal soldier.

"Oh… school." She slumped. "But, at least there will be others there." She wouldn't be locked away and alone. No one was ever going to put her by herself again. She would hear more than her own voice. She'd tear apart this palace before they trapped her again.

[[Clutch it like a cornerstone; otherwise it all comes down.  
Justify denials and grip it to the lonesome end.  
Clutch it like a cornerstone; otherwise it all comes down.  
Terrified of being wrong- ultimatum prison cell.]]

It was the last day of summer and Lu Ten felt the panic every parent must have felt at some point in time, though his was more so about the safety of the other children rather than his own. He subtly wondered if anyone in her classes would make her too angry, if anyone would get into a fight with her. Was the girl's academy marble or stone? How long was their recess? Would she listen to the teachers?

Lu Ten didn't let the worry mark his face, though. She'd get her punishment if she misbehaved and that was that. He just… he wanted her to be well behaved, like any parent would.

"She's going well," a voice said. Lu Ten looked around and was surprised to see it was his uncle. Uncle Ozai wasn't exactly the most social of men. He lived for his work and his work was his play. It wasn't that his was miserable, he was in fact rather happy, but the man had such a killer instinct and was so decisive and disconnected with anything that didn't get him what he wanted that it scared Lu Ten sometimes.

What really scared him was the man's lust for power. He didn't want power to protect his family or to prove how great he was. He simply wanted to control. For the moment, he claimed his position as Prince was good enough and seemed content with the unspoken knowledge that one of the elemental nations would belong to him.

When would he truly be sated with his power, though?

"Toph, that is."

Lu Ten nodded, moving over a bit so that his uncle could look over the pagoda-palace's garden. The older man came to stand by his nephew. "Azula's amazing, you know. And Zuko's collecting a fan base." He chuckled at the image. A small sea of young girls roughly Zuko's age, all dolled up and desperately trying to catch his attention. He, however, was far too shy and coddled to approach them yet.

Ozai let out a low grunt. "Zuko… is his mother's. Azula is mine and Fire Lord Azulon's."

The younger man would have pressed the issue of calling Azulon 'Grandfather' or 'Father', but Ozai seemed to stress over formalities. Was it because pleasantries were something he couldn't drill into his mind? For a firebender, he was cold.

"He's your eldest son though…?"

The Prince shook his head, eying the Duke. "Would you have rescued Toph if she had been a weak little thing, whimpering in her room as it burned to the ground?" The pregnant silence told the truth.

Lu Ten would have let her die. She would have died nameless, unknown. The villagers probably would have been perplexed by the foreign little girl in the house. Toph Bei Fong wouldn't have existed if she wasn't strong.

"Don't patronize me, you hypocrite," Ozai bit out, brushing against his nephew. Lu Ten was surprised how well that ended. Any sharper a knife's edge and he knew for sure that Ozai wouldn't have hesitated to challenge him to an Agni Kai.

However, pity filled his heart for Zuko. Lu Ten was talented with weaponry and Toph expressed no further concern beyond knowing how to aim with one. Perhaps Zuko would share his favorite past time?

[[Saturn ascends. Choose one, or ten. Hang on or be humbled again.]]

At first, school had been misery. The teachers droned their subtle words of hate and propaganda. At first, she mentally fought against their system and remembered what her tutor at home had said about the world.

Fire Lord Azulon issued the slaughter of the airbenders. No, that wasn't right. The airbenders had their bison and their powerful techniques. The firebenders only had their little land tools and those bison were so big! They won fair and square.

And that settled her issues in history class.

She hated her Mignonen class the most. She couldn't understand a blasted bit of the books until her teacher very gently entered her into a room with a strange ticking that was almost timed and it said words as raised plates were presented to her fingers. Her teacher said she was happy Toph only had to spend one day in the Doubly-Quick learning room. Toph was happy she could now read the stories and rhymes that made her love the Fire Nation even more.

She was so lucky to be here, leading the Earth Kingdom's revolution. Her teacher was ever so proud when she boldly told them her plans. Friday was show and tell. Her story? She would return to the Earth Kingdom when she was older and tell the earthbenders how beautiful and cultivated the Fire Nation was.

They said it was a beautiful dream. She felt so warm and coddled and _accepted_ here.

It went away like a pleasant nightmare when she returned home.

Ty Lee comforted her. "The first visit is to make sure you'll listen. Just behave and you'll be fine." She knew the sickly sweet, trapped in a sweaty blanket warmth that the hypnotic school induced on their first time students. "Just be good and it'll never happen again. The first week's the hardest."

All the same, Toph was glad to be home for the weekend, though she sorely missed the company of Ty Lee. (Mai almost refused to notice Toph's presence.) The very first thing she did as soon as she and Azula were returned to the palace with their caravan of guards was seek out her father. She scampered down the hall ways, calling his name softly. How big had Ba gotten? Had he married his 'girlfriend'? (Ty Lee had also explained the whole relationship thing on the boat ride to and from the Academy.)

Then she remembered it had only been a week that she had been gone, not a year, like how it had felt. Finally, she felt the confident, postured steps of her father and Zuko's, too. She bounded into the room. "Poppa Ten!"

The man turned around, dropping his halberd on the floor in favor of picking up his daughter. She struggled as soon as he did, desperate to be on the floor again. He set her down and bent on one knee. "Well," he began, breathless. Zuko had only been home for a few hours. The whole house would be alive again with the rambunctious motions of the trio of children.

Zuko blinked, surprised at the new appearance of Toph. Her formerly bun-ed hair had taken a traditional Fire Nation topknot and she was much more open and expressive.

What the heck had they done to her in that school? He wished they would do the same to Azula.

"Tell me," Lu Ten started again. "How were your first days?"

She hesitated, thinking of how to describe her horror and joy and confusion and eagerness and fear and contentment. She settled on describing how she learned to write and read.

This floored Lu Ten. When had they implemented the blind teaching system into the school? Then he realized it must have been special for Toph because she was technically royalty. He'd have to send his regards to Grandfather Azulon.

Toph resigned to sit on the sidelines and watch as Zuko and Lu Ten practiced. Finally, Ba waddled in.

"You let him get fat!" She cried as she barely picked the two foot tall badgermole up and then was forced to put him back down. He was approaching sixty pounds, more than the child could lift. The badgermole, however, merely let out a much more bark-like sound and licked her chin.

Zuko snorted before walking over to where the badgermole was and easily lifted it in his arms. "It's not fat, Toph-y, you're just tiny."

"What?" She stomped over to her cousin and her face was directly aimed at his chest. She poked his fleshy bicep. "Who're you callin' tiny, Zuzu?"

Lu Ten snickered behind his hand as the two children began arguing and shoving each other back and forth.

"Shrimp!" "Sissy!" "Shri-imp!" "Si-issy!"

Enter Ursa, warm smile on her face. "Zuko, darling, don't tease Toph. She's a good five years younger than you."

Zuko's mouth went agape at this. "Mother, I'm ten!" Ursa nodded, non-verbally telling him that she knew that. "… you're telling me she's five? No way!" He turned and looked at her. She looked more like a three-year-old.

Toph, however, completely ignored Zuko. "Aunt Ursa," she said gently. "Um…" She looked down. "The ladies at the Academy changed me." She didn't trust Ty Lee's opinion because she was too kind; Azula was uncaring; and Mai wouldn't answer her. "How do I look?"

Ursa was taken back by the idea. She patted Toph's head. "You look just like the little princess you are." With that, she looked over to Lu Ten. "Fire Lord Azulon wishes to see how the children have progressed."

[[Clutch it like a cornerstone; otherwise it all comes down.  
Justify denials and grip it like the lonesome end.  
Saturn ascends, comes 'round again.  
Saturn ascends-the one, the ten-ignorant to the damage done.]]

The three youngest heirs of the Fire Nation bowed prostrate before their (great-)grandfather. Once the flames of his arrival died down, they sat up, all sitting in the submissive fashion. Their legs tucked under and their curled fists on their knees.

Azulon looked on the three latest he had to raise to become part of the monarchy. Pitiful. Two of them, the more promising of the three, were females, one from foreign blood. Zuko had better step up his game. Even if Azulon planned on handing down the title to Iroh and in turn trusting Lu Ten to have amazing children, having such a weak boy in his bloodline wouldn't do.

"Azula," he began, "please demonstrate."

The young girl stood up and began to go through the stances, brilliant flames ablaze. Her movements were quick and could be deadly one day. After her performance, she sat down.

"Zuko." His voice lacked warmth.

The boy stood and waited for his cousin to hand him the dull wooden sword he had been practicing with. Zuko exhibited some weaker bending than Azula, but his sword handling was almost natural.

"Toph." Neutral. Did she exist to him?

She stepped forward, waiting for the maids to bring in a small platter of stones. She carefully bent them so that they followed her stances and gave a sample of what she could do. She was actually as impressive as Zuko.

He still favored Azula, but at least Zuko was beginning to show promise.

"I am impressed. Continue your work." Azulon looked over to Lu Ten. "Stay. Captain Zhao would like a word with us." With that, everyone left. There was no arguing.

[[Wear your grudge like a crown of negativity!  
Calculate what you will, or will not, tolerate.  
Desperate to control all and everything;  
Unable to forgive your scarlet letterman…]]

The children returned to the west garden, the one with the larger pond and bridge system. Toph preferred the grassy, almost field like east garden, but if they wanted to smell the fire lilies after a week of school, she wouldn't argue with her cousins. She and Ba laid in the shade, feeling as Zuko re-memorized things he mumbled about not remembering or missing.

Azula, however, was beyond irritated. She spent a few minutes turning over stones with her heels before stepping into Toph's no-man-land: the wooden bridge.

Minutes ticked by and then hours. Toph found herself being woken up by a pink flushed grandfather.

"Huh?" she asked, for once sounding innocent and something that had to be protected.

For once, Iroh concluded, his outrage making his movements stiff, she was. She, Azula, and even Zuko were all helpless. He didn't bother to explain what was going on, though. He'd try and make things comfortable for her and maybe one day she'd enjoy the thought of her circumstances.

"It's almost time to eat, Toph." He a single, large finger into her tiny hands and it took him until then to remember she still looked like a member of the Earth Kingdom despite her being marked a member of the Fire Nation. Though no one in her homeland knew she existed, she was still theirs. Her body was stout and would one day curve viciously like the women of her native land. Her face would remain plum and full. She wouldn't ever have the cut and thin look of the firebenders and she certainly wouldn't have the tiny waist or slip legs of Iroh's own native females. "We'll let the maids clean you up."

So he had to wonder how she'd take it if she was seen as exotic. Would it insult her, the attention? Would she bask in it, like Hellen in Troy?

For the moment, he didn't think much more than a second on it. She took his hand and followed behind him, the badgermole snuffling behind. "What're we havin'?"

Iroh shrugged. "I know the appetizer. We-" referencing the adults "-will have crab meat soup. The children will have sizzle crisps." That seemed to pacify her for the moment and the duo walked into the palace only for the maids to come and take each to their quarters to get dressed up.

[[Wear the grudge like a crown, desperate to control.  
Unable to forgive and we're sinking deeper.]]

Lu Ten was glad that comfortable clothes were allowed when formal matters weren't being settled. The fabric was rich and warm, but it snuggled his body almost to well. His strong, masculine form was blanketed in thick, heavy silks, but it wasn't comfortable at all. He may have looked, according to his girlfriend Kohki, _sexy _and _refined, _but he felt like a damned fool.

No wonder Toph was so pleased to be able to wear normal clothes everyday. If her parents, seeking to become royalty despite their nobleman status, forced her to wear these kinds of garbs all the time to obtain that image, he could understand why she didn't miss them much.

He look Kohki's arm in his and Toph's hand in his other and the trio walked elegantly into the room. He could see his father smirking to himself. 'Don't get any ideas, dad,' he mentally cooed, 'I might marry her and I might not.' He was pleased with Toph's non-protest to the stiff dress. Apparently she understood this wouldn't happen often.

He went over to the adult's table and sat at Iroh's right hand, opposite to Ursa. Aside from the usual six adults who sat at the table, the soon to be governor of Ba Sing Se, the assassin leader, a captain friend of Iroh's, and Commander Zhao, personal friend of Ozai- they sat there as well. Their wives (minus Zhao, the bachelor) and Lu Ten's girlfriend also sat there.

Lu Ten reached over and squeezed Kohki's hand as the formalities began. 'How many people have you killed this week?' 'Not many; people know their places.' 'Can we get more butter bread down here?' 'This crab soup is delicious. What spices do your chefs use?' 'So, we're sure on Duke Zuko's marriage to Lady Mai, correct?' 'Hiro and Toph will make a beautiful couple.' 'Azula's free to choose. She's a strong young woman. No one undeserving will get her.'

"I'm surprised you weren't match made," Kohki teased.

Lu Ten grunted. "Sometimes, for how often you showed up when I was little, I wonder if father didn't secretly arrange things."

Iroh gently nudged his son, laughing softly. "I only invited her over again because you played so well."

"Sure, sure," Lu Ten said, still sour about this Hiro fellow. Him and his father were nice enough and it saved Toph from anyone else, but it didn't sit right with him all the same. He poked at his soup with his spoon. However, when the bowl was taken away from him and the roasted komodo rhino slices were placed in front of him. There were side dishes, sure, but he was focused on the meat. Delicious! The spiced tea was sweet as usual.

[[Defining! Confining! Sinking deeper… Controlling! Defining! -and we're sinking.  
Deeper…]]

Zuko felt good at the head of the child's table. His rotisserie chicken had peppercorn covering the surface and he loved pepper corn. It was nice to have another guy at the table, too, even if he was a good four years younger than himself.

He laughed at Hiro's joke.

Ty Lee and Toph didn't eat much, each nervous over possibly ruining their fancy dressed and mostly drank and pecked at their food, having a small, lighthearted conversation going.

Azula sat with Mai, an indescribable look on her face as the inky haired girl avoided eating the meat. She was incredibly picky, but she was Azula's family now. (Azula was a sneaky little spy; no one else knew what she did.)

"-and the Earth Kingdom prisoners-" Hiro was surprised to feel a hand slapped across his mouth. It was Zuko who had a fearful look cast in Toph's direction. What would she think of the joke?

Ty Lee impatiently tapped her foot. "Well, what happened next?"

"Yeah," Toph asked while adjusting her sleeves so that she could cut into her chicken without it draping over the food.

Zuko released Hiro's mouth, surprised at how Toph seemed amused at the oppression of her people. "… aren't you worried about your people?"

She tilted her head. "None of the soldiers were harmed, right? Then, no."

Azula chuckled, flicking her brother on the ear. "Zuzu, really now. Tophy is a big girl and knows her people have to be on the ships with the dirty ground rats."

Something oddly twisted seemed to surround the scene, but Zuko couldn't place why he was upset. Toph was family and her loyalty should be with Azulon. Still, she was an earthbender. Shouldn't she care about her fellow benders?

Hiro went on with his story. "Anyway, the prisoners kept mumbling something about us firebenders, right? So, yeah, Dad let me go down with the soldiers to straighten 'em out." He let a smirk curl across his features. "You'll never guess what I finally did."

"What?" Ty Lee expressed verbally what the others (minus Mai) expressed through their body language.

"I let out a blast o' fire bigger than this table!" He smugly straightened his shirt front. "Set a whole line of those coal diggin' dogs on fire. The soldiers patted me on the back."

Toph giggled. "Wow, a whole line of 'em… that's amazing, Hiro."

"Uh? R-really?" He seemed flustered. Ty Lee giggled behind her hand while Zuko and Mai groaned, only for them to blush.

Azula shook her head. "Hmph, looks like it's only-" she stopped, confused at Ty Lee's expression. "W-what?"

Ty Lee sighed dreamily. "Nothing, I just imagined you as a boy." She closed her eyes and smoothed her dress. "You'd be handsome and strong and smart and dashing and friendly and protective and-"

"Ty Lee." Azula's face was white as ash. "Are you implying I look like a boy?"

"Nope. You're just make a pretty one." The silence of the table was awkward until everyone got started talking about a different version of themselves and then it turned into a near-argument about who was the prettiest, Mai surprisingly being the most heated debater in the latter of the subjects.

"Dessert," a chef said as bowls of delicious cinnamon topped vanilla ice cream was moved in front of the children. He winced as the savage look entered their eyes and everyone began tearing into their desserts. 'How they manage to stay clean is beyond me.'

[[Saturn comes back around to show you everything;  
Lets you choose what you will not see, and then  
Drags you down like a stone; or lifts you up again,  
Spits you out like a child, light and innocent.]]

The weekend was nearly over and what had they done with it? Friday afternoon had been full of reunion and Saturday they had frolicked and played war games. Sunday was dedicated to family bonding and remembering history. So, when they headed down to port Sunday afternoon, the four girls were beyond weary.

"A whole month of that uniform," Ty Lee sniffed.

Mai let a low growl out. "No more fruit tarts. Not unless they get generous."

Azula chuckled. "Well, at least we get to move into our dorms this time."

"Dorms?" Toph was new to this, the rest remembered.

Ty Lee gushed. "Ye-es! Azula, this is the solution to our problem!" She was refering to the fact a strange girl named Mazarou kept getting into their dorm with them since they lacked a girl who would be willing to sign into their four (wo)man dorm.

Azula nodded. "Yeah. She can have the bed under Mai, then." With that, the princess strode onto the boat, confident as ever.

Mai let a sneer cross her face. "I don't get a say in this?"

"Nope," she bit back at the apathetic member.

Ty Lee came up between both and grabbed them by their waists, pulling them into her tiny form. "Teehee, oh may gawd, we're gonna be ro-oomies!" She grabbed their hands and pulled them on the boat. "Toph-y! I get to do your hair and your clothes and Mai and you are gonna have matching outfits because me and Azula always do twin day together and you're gonna love it because we have lots of debates and Azula always wins them-"

Toph snatched her hand out of Ty Lee's, taking one last feel of land though the blurry wooden scope.

"-and we have these dance things with the brother school-"

Lu Ten would remember to feed Ba, right?

"-but you know, I think you'd like it! What do you think, Mai?"

Grandpa Iroh wouldn't go off to war without her, would he?

"I don't care, Ty Lee."

She hadn't spent any time with Great-grandmother Ilah. She should do that when she got home.

"Both of you!"

She flinched, realizing she had once again forgotten to bring a bag of earth on the boat to make sure she'd be comfortable.

"Duchess Toph-"

It'd be okay. It was only an afternoon's ride anyway.

"-it's a package for you."

"Huh?" Toph asked, snapping out of her lonely stand on the railing. She saw that Ty Lee was the only one left standing with her. Beside her, an elderly woman held a small box of what appeared to be polished rocks.

Her breathing hitched.

"Here."

She took them out of the woman's hands, placing a hand in and feeling more surely what the vibrations hinted at. Smooth rocks, scentless! She focused, twitching her fingers. They levitated and when she placed them under her feet, they turned into something like skates.

The woman groaned. "Duchess Toph, you're marring the floors."

"… sorry." She got off the rocks and made them do all sorts of dances. "Where to, Ty Lee?"

The giggly girl started walking and Toph followed.

She was sorely tempted to glide again, though.

[[Saturn comes back around; lifts you up like a child, or  
Drags you down like a stone to  
Consume you till you choose to let this go!  
Choose to let this go.]]

They entered the recreational room. Azula and Mai had already claimed the longest cushioned couch in the name of their little group. The last two members settled on the surface, enjoying the soft fabric.

As Azula began to speak, the trio stopped their nail filling and the talking and their bending. Her voice was low, but strong; whispered, but it roared something else. "We're warriors, you know." No one would deny this. "This school is a waste of time. Formal, but futile. I can tell by the way things are shaping up that this kingdom is going to belong to us one day." Truly?

A cute little grin crossed her face and she looked eerily sweet. "Let's make sure we're strong and good friends so that our kingdom works out well, okay?"

At that moment, it was decided that Azula was leader. There was no battle, no dominating. Why should there be? Ty Lee lived to pleased, Mai was happy as long as she got excitement and sweets, and Toph just wanted to fight.

Azula could provide that; in return, they listened to her.

The month at the school turned into the whole school year. Summer was drawing near, again.

[[Give away the stone. Let the oceans take and transmutate this cold and fated  
Anchor.  
Give away the stone. Let the waters kiss and transmutate these leaden grudges  
Into gold.]]


	4. ENDING

**Chapter Four: War Time Returns**  
Time skip +2 years.  
I don't own Avatar. "Colorado Sun" by 3oh!3. (I don't always use dark songs. ;3)

* * *

[[-and if I had something to say to you, I'd whisper it softly;  
Kiss you on your rosey lips and never let you off me;  
Shiver on your roof and see your face lit by starlight;  
Hold you through the night and watch that Colorado sunrise.]]

_She was clawing at her own neck. Lu Ten's breathing hitched and he raced towards her, his beloved wife. How could she die like this, taking her own in favor of being devoured by the wolfbats that flew above? His eyes filled with tears as he found himself in the same spot and felt his arms like lead._

_Her eyes watered and her rosy lips frowned. 'I'm sorry, dear.' How could she leave him, her daughter, her unborn son?_

_Oh, god, no, she was taking him with her. "Kohki!" He screamed for her as she fell over and the wolfbats finally descended on her body. Bones were all that was left._

"Poppa," _a voice called. It was the bones, he could swear it was the bones._

"Poppa!" _"The little white bones stood up and looked at him, and, __**oh god**__, his dead son was touching him._

"I'm sorry," he said, his sleeping form pulling his daughter's head against his bed. Was his breathing coming out in sobs?

She lowered her eye lids and patted the head of her badgermole who stood at her shoulder now. It was like a guard dog. "He's fine," she said. She shook him more. When the seven-year-old was satisfied with his breathing normal, she allowed him to hug her.

"… I'm sorry, Toph. I… I just miss them."

She finally relaxed in his arms. "I do, too, Poppa." She shook off his arms and he allowed it. She climbed onto Ba's back and sat by his bed. She kicked her legs. "I saw little brother in my dreams."

His heart ached. "Really?" It had only been a few months ago when it happened. Right at the end of the school year. Lu Ten and Kohki had decided to go the Academy to surprise Toph when she graduated. (She was to be a warrior; any schooling past her second year was for politics.)

They had been ambushed by earthbenders. They were escaped prisoners and they looked like drowned rats. They mistook him for Ozai, the brother of the future Fire Lord.

Even thinking back on it made Lu Ten want to vomit.

Toph hummed lightly as she told her story, her voice wavering. "M'hm. He had gray eyes and he was a little older than me, I think. I guess brother exists somewhere else, huh?" Lu Ten nodded and she heard the movement of his head. "He told me he loved me, you know. He said to be strong, that he'll see me some day." She tilted her head. "He kissed me on the lips, though. It was odd."

Lu Ten wrinkled his nose, but brushed it off. "Did he laugh after?"

She paused. "… yeah, he did."

Lu Ten rolled his eyes and laughed. "He was a kidder. We could have used something like that around here."

She finally walked onto the bed. "What would you have named him?"

The man laid back on his bed, having the answer memorized. "You remember, Toph. We were going to name him Ruko."

"No," she said. "I don't. It was on the tomb stone and it was burned on."

He grunted and then rolled over. "I'm going back to bed." He was facing the outside of the bed, near the wall. She knew she was welcomed to stay if she wanted, but she never slept with anyone else. She was independent. Aside from the first night he knew her, she had never once slept in the room with anyone else.

So, he was surprised to hear her crawl into bed with him. True, she put the covers on him to opt of simple habit, but she stayed.

That meant a lot.

"Good night, Poppa Ten," she said.

He patted where he hoped her head was and hit the target. "Go to sleep, little maggot." If anyone other than he or Hiro said it, they'd get hit. She merely snuggled against his back with her own and slept. He enjoyed the presence and she enjoyed the warmth.

[[I've got five fingers on each hand for every mistake that I've made,  
'cause my tongue is tied to tonsils, and I need to shit and shave.  
I'm a shade too pale for handsome and have habits I can't shake,  
And if you try to take that from me, well, I'll never be the same.]]

When Lu Ten awoke in the morning, he looked over at his daughter who slept so soundly. He wondered if it was time to leave the palace again, immerse himself in war. It would probably do him good and there was nothing left for Toph to do around here that was peaceful.

He could tell she was getting antsy and so was he. He was uncomfortable being here without his wife and didn't desire to begin courting again. He didn't doubt he'd find love, or at least something like love, again, but for the moment, being able to take his fury and anguish out on anything seemed like a good idea.

He left her and the badgermole in his bed room and walked toward his closet. He entered and looked for a something to wear. He picked nothing he would wear to a civilian meeting and haphazardly threw on the robes that would normally go under armor.

He'd speak to Azulon and request to go to war again. Ruling and leading from afar wasn't his style.

However, before he could even exit his room, a horrible shriek was heard. Toph jumped up, stone decorations in the room breaking apart and flying to her side. Ba's snarl wasn't missed, either. Lu Ten tapped twice and said nothing, letting her know all was fine- probably.

The trio walked the halls. They didn't ask questions, knowing they didn't have answers for the other.

Toph spoke up, expression confused. "Everyone's rushing to Fire Lord Azulon's… there's someone on the ground." Both Azulon and Ilah were so frail in their old age that Toph couldn't tell them apart in their heavy robes unless she was right in front of them.

Lu Ten nodded before he started jogging. As they came to the entrance, he saw that Iroh and Ozai were either furious or shocked.

Finally, he saw the horrible sight. A maid was plastered against the wall farthest from the entrance in fear. Ilah stood over a bloody body, dagger held securely. Her golden eyes were narrow and she finally turned her head to acknowledge her children. She didn't say anything pertaining to her dead husband on the floor and everyone understood, to some degree, what had happened.

"I plan to take over this foolish ordeal. Does anyone object?" Her voice was steel and the children of the palace shivered. Their matriarch was threatening them. She was threatening her offspring's offspring.

What?

Iroh was the first to snap out of his stupor. "Mother! What have you done?" It was rhetorical.

Ozai was enraged. "You killed him!" He prepared to summon fire against his mother and the elderly woman did the same. However, Ozai found himself suddenly scorched. His fell to the floor, rolling to extinguish the fire on his heavy robes.

The attention was soon placed on Ursa. She looked lowly down upon her husband. "She's right, you know." She had gotten sick of waiting. "I'm sick of waiting on the Avatar, you know." She stepped over the writhing man. "Lady Ilah is right. You fools don't-" She remembered the children then and smiled gently to them. "Darlings, leave for a bit. Tell the maids not to enter. This is business above them."

Azula was the last to leave. They did, however, walk away and gave the glares they had learned from their titanic parents to the servants. No one entered near the wing that they all silently knew a raging battle was happening.

Zuko was beyond frantic. He was worried for his mother and father, uncle Iroh and Lu Ten, his grandmother Ilah and he couldn't believe _Azulon was dead_.

Azula snorted. "You know, they're arguing over who has the throne now." Zuko and Toph looked over at Azula. "If Uncle Iroh becomes Fire Lord," she said with almost a hiss, "Then that means Toph has a chance of becoming Fire Lord one day, or at least a real Princess." She smirked. "But, if Dad gets the throne, then I'll definitely become Fire Lord one day."

Zuko blinked, not realizing Azula was taking his mind off his worries. "What makes you think I won't, little sister?"

Toph laughed. "Zuko, don't get me wrong or anything, but you've never shown leadership skills." She pointed a toe to Azula. "She, however, she made me her monkey." Toph stood up then and walked to Ba. "I'm going to the east garden. Come get me when they're done with stupid stuff."

Zuko sighed. "… I hope Dad wins. Toph… Toph'd never make a good leader. Ever."

"Yeah," Azula snorted out. She looked over to Zuko then. "Hey, you know, I don't care who becomes Fire Lord after Dad. I'll still probably be given my own army, huh?"

He nodded. "Yeah. You'll probably still be his favorite."

[[Trainwreck-that I am.  
-and I am what I am, what I am.  
A train wreck-that I am.  
-and I am what I am, what I am.  
A train wreck!]]

Lu Ten really wasn't sure what was going on. One minute Ilah had been fried to a crisp and Ursa had escaped. The next, Ozai was declaring himself Fire Lord and Iroh didn't do anything about it. After that, Lu Ten finally did ask the new Fire Lord if he could return to war and-

And that's where he found himself now. He was in a dreamlike state, no really aware of what was going on. He walked the halls of the palace, confused.

"She's in the east garden," a voice said.

He looked down. Zuko looked back up at him. "… who won?"

"Your father," Lu Ten said nonchalantly. He was about to move past Zuko when the boy spoke again.

He was unsure and hesitant. "… cousin Lu Ten," he bit out. "Um, I wanna learn how to be a leader." He looked down, gripping the sides of his pants. "So, next time you go to war, or Uncle Iroh goes to war, um, could I go in your brigade?"

The man blinked, taken off guard by such a question. "Actually, I'm going to depart to help some troops with the final take over of the southwestern Earth Kingdom wilderness soon. I'll be training while we're making our travel over there, so you're welcomed to join me."

Zuko smiled. "Ah, thanks, Lu Ten!" With that, he ran off.

Lu Ten wasn't surprised he couldn't see her in the garden. Under the only tree in the garden he saw her hole and the freshly moved dirt. He walked to the entrance of her secret caverns, the world he would never be able to see, and waited. She'd sense him and return to the surface, dirty as a sewer elephant rat.

The first to come was out was Ba. The beast was nearly too large to squeeze out of the den he and his daughter had made, but all the same, he seemed happier underground than on it. He let low, grunting chirps as he waited for her to arrive.

Toph came out the, face expecting an explanation.

He told her nothing. He knew she only cared about himself and Iroh. Anyone else was a pity to lose, but she didn't care. "We're going to war again. Is there anything, besides clothes because you _will wear clothes, _that you want to bring?"

"Aside from Ba, nothing." She then regretted this. "Roasted duck. We're still going to have roasted duck, right?"

He rolled his eyes before walking toward the palace. "Obviously." Everything would be better for them after this. They'd be back on the battle field and that would distract them. There was nothing left for them here; he'd still visit, but there was nothing left to do. He simply couldn't engage in politics like his father and uncle could, nor could he be content to act as a pretty ornament like Ursa had seemingly been.

[[-and as long as it's okay with you, I think I'll stay right here.  
I've got no where to go, 'cause where to go is up to you, dear.  
Happy as a clam, I see the glimmer in your eyes.  
Hold you throught the night and watch that Colorado sunrise.]]

Zuko had never woken up so early in his entire life. He had spent half the night trying to elude dreams of his father's passive face as he gave him permission to go to war. He remembered Uncle Iroh's face. Why hadn't his own father cared? If Azula went off, he'd try and make sure she returned alive…

"Are you awake?"

He jumped back slightly, not used to a midget suddenly appearing in his personal space. She didn't bother looking up and with the height difference between them, she was "looking" straight toward his stomach. It was embarrassing for him, so he stepped to her side.

Repressing a yawn, he shook his head. "No." He looked around the exit hall and noted the few number of soldiers. "Where's Lu"-yawn-"Ten?"

"Dunno where Poppa is. He went to look for some book of something." She turned her body toward the exit and Zuko jumped back as he heard a strangled yowl. The badgermole ran into the room, fur covered in something remotely pink.

"Well, I told you not to let them pet you," she chided the apparently fan-harassed pet. She coddled him as the animal with razor sharp claws shivered. "At least you didn't attack them. We'd be in trouble if you did."

Zuko let something like a snort escape his nose. "I thought you were a little warrior?"

Toph let a wicked smile cross her face. "Hm? Oh, I won't hurt my countrymen, is all. Any earth kingdom maggots or water tribe minnows should watch out, though." She turned to the end of the hall, waiting for Lu Ten to become visible to Zuko since she knew he'd have something to say.

"Oh, hi, cousin," Zuko said casually as Lu Ten approached, a small book in hand. "What's that?"

Lu Ten looked down. It was a book of flowers, made thicker than previous by the various blooms that Kohki had filled each page with. It also had a few notes on a mysterious object simply known as the Sunstone that she had been absolutely obsessed about.

The older male smiled softly at Zuko before bending slightly so that preteen could see the many pressed flowers in the pages. "It was Kohki's. I'm going to finish it for her."

Zuko looked up, intrigued. "What else is left?"

"The rare panda lily and a mature white lotus. She always complained about finding them when they weren't in good shape." He chuckled.

Zuko was about to ask another question when the furious face of Toph showed up. Ba was nuzzling her, apparently eager to go back to sleep. "Com'mon!"

The two royal men merely followed, not awake enough to argue, but not sleepy enough to be stupid. Somehow, through all that was going through their minds-what would happen with their country while they were gone?-they simply couldn't resist the grins pulling at their faces.

After all, life was good _for the moment_. Why ruin it. Their country was expanding! They were nearly gods. All that could go wrong was for the Avatar to return.

But they couldn't think about that. Lu Ten couldn't think about that. Not with a little girl running ahead of him and his nephew trailing his side.

* * *

That's all for this one. If anyone wants to make a sequel, feel free to, just message me. I'm done. ==;


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